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All they said was Kevin is out injured and Braun did a promo where he said he only regrets not congratulating KO on his victory. Then added he's not in the contenders matches to face Brock cause he has the case.

They do that with everyone, don't they? They have a hyper-branding mentality, where everyone - absolutely everyone - has to have a moniker, and even when they stumble onto a cool one, they kill it dead by having Cole say it 25 times within the span of 30 minutes.

Anybody feeling like Strowman is probably going to cash in at Summerslam and pin Reigns to win the title, to continue the whole 'I'm not finished with you yet' storyline they had going on? Feel like the two of the have some unfinished business to attend to.

I don't think he's "damaged goods" yet, but I'm seriously hoping that Strowman tossing Owens off the cage is the start/return to the character that got over - remorseless, violent, serious - rather than the neutered version that we saw at Mania and for quite some time after.

On Austin's podcast, he brought up a point that I can't shake whenever I watch Braun. I don't know the exact quote but Austin was talking about a tag match where Braun was partnering with Bobby Lashley on RAW and, after the match, Strowman either posed with or gave some sort of acknowledgment of friendship to Lashley and Austin was just like "Don't do that!" and he was 1000% right. Strowman should be friendless, a lone monster that isn't tethered to any alliance or morals. In that moment, he didn't need to hit Lashley with a powerslam or anything, but it would've been much cooler if he had least gave him a look that said "If I wanted to right now, I could destroy you too."

I predict he cashes in at SummerSlam and am hoping that they let him feud with both heels and faces after. Reigns would be a good challenger. Lashley would be a good challenger. I think Strowman would be cheered over both. What I'd like more, though, is down the stretch having Rollins or Balor challenge for Strowman's belt. That would be a dynamic that I think would be interesting and help preserve Strowman's character as a badass that doesn't care if you boo him or cheer him, he just wants to dominate. When done right, that kind of character gets more over and sells more merch than the smiling babyface constantly seeking fan approval.

As much hate as he gets still think Reigns can do a lot more with that belt than Owens, Lesnar or Braun coming out of Summerslam.

Literally see zero appeal in Strowman as champion anytime soon. I think it would be short term thinking in the extreme.

He's already stuffed every heel on the roster like a jobber and beating up popular babyfaces that are the size of one of his legs, isn't really a face thing to do and he'll be the latest big name face to get the boo treatment. They will probably bring in the part timers like Cena or Triple H to feud with Braun to give him credible foes- (and Cena will do an absolute number on Braun's credibility win or lose when he showing videos of him in the Rosebuds or whatever).

Owens seems to be damaged goods at the moment after months of being sacred of Shane McMahon and jobbed out left and right to Strowman. He needs some rebuilding, and at this stage, feel he needs to go face to revive his act somewhat. With Reigns however there is a decent amount of programs he can slot right into, and the title adds an extra dynamic. Against either or both Shield Brothers. He could finally grant Balor or Owens their rematch. He could do the rubber bout with Lashley. I also think a feud with him as champ and Braun as challenger is a better dynamic than the other way round.

How would Strowman taking the title off of AJ instead of Lesnar/Reigns work? I kind of assume the contract is open to be used on either title, given that the clause for that has always been in the contract when it's been cross-brand.

To be honest, I'd rather they get the case onto Owens via some kind of shenanigans at SummerSlam. I think there's a lot more scope for him to do something interesting with it, and the title, than Strowman.

I always was under the impression that the contract could be used on either champion, however they stopped that when both brands had their own MITB ladder match.

That being said, ever since the reinstatement of dual brand MITB matches, they haven't really acknowledged or clarified that it was still a thing. I guess creative wants us to forget that was ever a possibility.

Strowman beating AJ for the belt would be preferable to me, although I get the impression Braun is another guy they will stubbornly keep face for many years

Regarding who he can cash in against, my guess is the WWE will change the rules as and when it suits them- such as the Royal Rumble. Apparently even though Orton was refusing to face Wyatt last year in story, he never said he was gonna go after the Universal belt instead. This year, they could go after whoever they want

Strowman beating AJ for the belt would be preferable to me, although I get the impression Braun is another guy they will stubbornly keep face for many years

Regarding who he can cash in against, my guess is the WWE will change the rules as and when it suits them- such as the Royal Rumble. Apparently even though Orton was refusing to face Wyatt last year in story, he never said he was gonna go after the Universal belt instead. This year, they could go after whoever they want

I mean, he is doing really well as face, and WWE needs more face characters.

I mean, he is doing really well as face, and WWE needs more face characters.

But for how much longer when he's already crushed nearly all Raws full time heels with ease multiple times?

Sometimes it's better to change them while their still hot and others benefit too (right now literally nobody and nothing but Strowman is being helped by his handling, and others are being actively hurt by it)

Say for example he's the Monster someone like Bryan has to overcome to get back to the top, itwould be much better TV than him just continuing to just throw the likes of Owens, Ellias, Corbin and Jinder around like the modern day job squad. Which is probably what is gonna happen - yawn.

But for how much longer when he's already crushed nearly all Raws full time heels with ease multiple times?

Sometimes it's better to change them while their still hot and others benefit too (right now literally nobody and nothing but Strowman is being helped by his handling, and others are being actively hurt by it)

Say for example he's the Monster someone like Bryan has to overcome to get back to the top, itwould be much better TV than him just continuing to just throw the likes of Owens, Ellias, Corbin and Jinder around like the modern day job squad. Which is probably what is gonna happen - yawn.

As if on que he comes up against a much bigger challenge than he has ever faced before.

I was a big fan of the Braun v Roman program last year, I dubbed it Goliath v Samson for its almost biblical epicness. It was really cool to see how their characters so fundamentally opposed, Reigns, the guy who had just put down The Undertaker, taking ownership of the ring as His Yard whereas Braun was the guy that constantly seeking the biggest and baddest guy and trying to tear him down. Neither has changed a whole lot so I expect the same kind of chemistry.

I can't see him not winning the championship at some point either this Spring or if not then at Wrestlemania, he won over the adult males last year and I think his comedy schtick earlier this year and bit with Nicholas has helped him win the kids too.

Honestly he is a pretty huge success story for the WWE, a big guy who the audience completely wrote off as useless when he first showed up turning into one of the most universally loved stars on the roster.

Yep, Vince is sacrificing the whole promotion to push Reigns. I haven't see this much killing of talent for one guy, maybe ever, from Vince. I mean, yes, I've seen Hogan eat a whole heel roster, but all of them were suppose to get eaten, that was their job. And when Vince turned Andre, and Savage, it was a story that made sense and drew more money than ever. But this, this is different, and something I don't think I can get behind.

It's been tough to be into him recently, for sure. The heel turn was easily as ill-advised, if not more so, than the Ryback one from a few years back. Thing is, he's not changing until at least after WWE Saudi Arabia: World Cup or whatever it is, so we're kind of just going to have to stick with it and hope that, out the other side, Braun is OK.

The thing is, they've gone from Braun the big destroyer, even as a face, to now being Braun the cowardly heel who needs back up from at least two other guys to fight his battles, and backs down from fights anyway. It's all backwards, and instead of just letting it be they've sacrificed all the goodwill they had for him, I think.

I thought he had some time off set for surgery on his elbow - something to do with bone spurs? Thought I'd seen it said that he'll be out of action, at least physically, for a while but should make TLC for the match with Corbin.

I'm glad they went back to Strowman being a face in all of this, but I'm still not sure they've quite found the right way to use him yet. Reportedly he has a match with Brock at the Rumble in the pipeline, so that would indicate they're still pretty high on him.